1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera system, which is in particular usable in a vehicle, as well as to a method for manufacturing the camera system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Camera systems are used in vehicles in particular for the detection of a roadway area ahead of the vehicle. The camera systems are generally designed here as a camera module including an external camera housing which accommodates a lens, an image sensor, and generally a circuit carrier including additional electronic elements.
The design of an imager module including a lens, a lens holder, a sensor carrier and an image sensor mounted on the sensor is known. The lens holder may, for example, be screwed to the sensor carrier. This imager module is subsequently installed in the camera housing and the sensor carrier makes contact with, for example, a circuit carrier.
In fixed-focus systems, the imager module is adjusted during its manufacture by adjusting the lens in the lens holder along the optical axis by analyzing image signals of the image sensor, for example by a test pattern being detected within a relevant distance whose image is then analyzed for contrast. Published German patent application document DE 10 2009 0275 14 A1 shows such a camera system in which the lens is fixed in the lens holder using an adhesive after the adjustment.
Furthermore, MID (Molded Interconnect Devices) circuit carriers are generally known in which metallic printed conductors for electrical connections are applied directly on, for example, molded plastic carriers. In this way, electrical circuits may be implemented on spatially more complex structures, the structures also being able to simultaneously assume mechanical functions without additional parts needing to be patched on. In this way, a high mechanical strength is achieved.